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London's New Year's Eve Fireworks
Fireworks over London Eye as part of the multi-sensory New Year's 2013–2014 display
Genre	New Year's Eve event
Date(s)	31 December/1 January
Begins	20:00 (GMT)
Ends	00:45 (GMT)
Frequency	Annually
Location(s)	Victoria Embankment, South Bank and River Thames
Inaugurated	2000
Founder	Mayor of London
Most recent	2020–21 (2021)
Next event	2021–22 (2022)
Attendance	100,000 (2019–20)
Budget	£3.4 million (2019–20)
Website	https://www.london.gov.uk/nye

London New Year’s Eve Fireworks, a New Year's Eve firework display, is celebrated along the Victoria Embankment and South Bank areas of the River Thames where the London Eye and Big Ben are situated. The countdown is accompanied by the chimes of Big Ben, and a digital countdown timer projected onto the Shell Centre. The fireworks are launched off the London Eye and from barges in the River Thames at midnight. The display is organised by Jack Morton Worldwide, with Titanium Fireworks responsible for the pyrotechnics. Music mix and sound design for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 displays was created by On The Sly Audio Production.

History

2000–05

In the first New Year's Eve fireworks display over the skies in London in December 1999 to celebrate the year 2000, it was estimated by the BBC that about 3 million people turned up around the Thames to watch the fireworks display. A "river of fire" was planned to accompany the fireworks display, but failed to make an impact. A fireworks display was planned during 2000 to celebrate 2001, but was cancelled in November due to a dispute between then-Mayor of London Ken Livingstone and the London Underground. Similar disputes also occurred, causing displays to be cancelled for both the 2001–02 and 2002–03 celebrations, although approximately 80,000 revellers gathered around Trafalgar Square to celebrate the New Year, as had been a tradition for many years.

After a short three-year hiatus, for the 2003–04 event, there were fireworks though only for three minutes. For the 2004–05 event, in the run-up to midnight, an image of candles was projected onto the Shell Centre as a tribute to the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Also, at midnight, fireworks were launched from the wheel itself for the first time.

2011–12

For the 2011–12 extravaganza, fireworks were fired in a one-off event from Elizabeth Tower, launching from the top of the building outwards above the many spectators and well wishers below, welcoming in the year in which London went on to host the Olympic Games. Fireworks were launched in the shape and colour of the Olympic flag, in a display that lasted approximately eleven minutes compared to being reduced to eight minutes in 2010.

2012–13

The 2012–13 display was based on both the Queen's diamond jubilee and the Olympics. The Queen's Christmas speech was used in the fireworks display for the first time.

2013–14

The theme of the 2013–14 fireworks was "Firsts"; a projection prior to the fireworks featured Mayor of London Boris Johnson talking about the many firsts that have come from the United Kingdom and London itself. He then went on to explain the 2013–14 fireworks would the "world first" multi-sensory fireworks display with fruit flavoured sweets and radio controlled LED bracelets which had previously been used during Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto Tour and the London 2012 Paralympics Closing Ceremony being handed out to revellers when entering the viewing areas. These sweets were as stated in the information leaflet to be eaten prior to the display to "prepare" spectators with the flavours that they were going to experience during the evening. Scented mists and edible flavoured foam were also sprayed throughout the performance.

2014–15

For the 2014–15 display, the designer of the display stated that the fireworks would focus on London being a world-class city and how it can continue its repetition on being one. It was also focused on how the New Year's event in London was special to the public. The 2014–15 display was the subject of controversy as a £10 charge was introduced by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, for tickets to the official viewing areas.

2015–16

For the 2015–16 display, the Mayor of London announced a partnership with UNICEF, as part of an appeal to support children affected by the Syrian civil war. Multiple London and Edinburgh landmarks were lit in blue in support of the campaign.

2016–17

The 2016–17 display focused on the reflections of the past year with themes focusing on Team GB's greatest ever success at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The display also paid homage to Prince, David Bowie and Ronnie Corbett who all died in 2016.

2017–18

The 2017–18 fireworks display was entitled "Women 100", honouring the then-upcoming centennial of women''s suffrage in the United Kingdom. A series of 23 red fireworks set to Ariana Grande's "One Last Time" was played in remembrance of the 23 people who died in the Manchester Arena bombing.

2018–19

The fireworks display contained some political imagery reflecting London's "relationship with Europe", opening with the phrase "London is open" (which has been used by Mayor Sadiq Khan, a notable opponent of the UK's exit from the European Union) spoken in multiple languages, and featured a sequence where the London Eye was lit in the colors of the flag of Europe. The theme was also reflected in some of the featured songs, such as "Don't Leave Me Alone, "Stay", and "We Are Your Friends". This attracted criticism from those who support Brexit, arguing that this was an unnecessary political gesture for a public event.

2019–20

The theme for the 2019–20 display was 'British New Decade', celebrating the new decade. The display featured music and soundbites relating to the then-upcoming UEFA Euro 2020, where London will be hosting seven games, including the final.

2020–21

On 18 September 2020, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan told LBC that the 2020–21 fireworks at the London Eye had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, as it would encourage public gatherings discouraged under public health orders and guidance at the time. Khan, as well as the office of the mayor, stated that an alternative event would be announced.

The alternate event was announced as being a television presentation on BBC One, which would feature "highlights" of the past year Due to Tier 4 restrictions in London and the majority of England, residents were urged to remain home, as required by Tier 4 restrictions where residents must refrain from leaving their homes without a "reasonable excuse", and almost all gatherings are prohibited.

However, the event was ultimately a fireworks show and drone display centred upon various locations in London, including The O2, the Thames, Tower Bridge, and Wembley Stadium. The show featured tributes to Captain Tom's charity walk, the National Health Service (NHS), and the Black Lives Matter movement. The finale of the show included an environmental appeal narrated by David Attenborough, while the city also promoted the event as being London's most "environmentally-friendly" New Year's Eve event.

Themes

Since 2011–12, themes have been introduced with the displays:

Broadcast

The fireworks are broadcast on BBC One and BBC News on their annual New Year's Eve programme. In addition, the millennium display was broadcast on the BBC's 2000 Today.

Sky One broadcasts the fireworks, shared with Sky News which has its own coverage of the fireworks, including Edinburgh's Hogmanay as well. ITV runs a special programme from ITV News called ITV News Including New Year Bongs. Other international news channels such as CNN broadcast live coverage of the fireworks.

The 2016-17 show was also recorded and streamed in 360-degree video.

See also

• New Year Live
• London's New Year's Day Parade
• Edinburgh's Hogmanay
• America's Party on The Las Vegas Strip
• New Year's Eve in Copacabana
• Sydney New Year's Eve
• New Year's Eve in Times Square

References

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• New Year celebrations
• Culture in London
• Observances in the United Kingdom
• Annual events in London